Monday, February 23, 2015

TABOA wants bus fares to be increased instead of reduced

Despite
the fall of price for oil products at a global market, Tanzania Bus Owners
Association (TABOA) has claimed that, the recent reduction of fuel selling
prices which was announced by the government is not enough to subsidize the
operational costs for transporters in the country. Instead, the transports are
in demand of the fare increase as the current fare rate being charged by the
government is not even enough despite reduction of fuel price at a local
market. TABOA’s Chairman, Ernea Mrutu said last week in a telephone interview
on Wednesday this week that, his association had been demanding for the fare
increase since 2012 when the fuel price rates in the country was fetched the
same as the current rate after review but the government could not respond. Mrutu
noted that, transporters are not operating by using fuel alone, but there are
other huge expenses which they have to incur such as vehicle maintenance service
costs as well as vehicle spare parts whose costs he said are so expensive at a
local level. He outlined other reasons as transportation businesses in
upcountry regions is so expensive and very tough bearing the fact that, greater
percentage of roads are not in good order as most of them are dilapidated and
quite impassable during rainy seasons. He said transportation business in
upcountry regions is mainly dominated by the private sector who feels the pinch
and the public sector had surrendered due to its expensiveness. However, he
further noted that, the reduction of fuel price rate is a relief for
transporters and it should not be a prerequisite of fare reduction at a local
level as this is temporary for the world fuel market is not predictable as it
might rise indefinitely and shot up. In view of this, however, he is appealing
to the government organ to think twice and if possible increase the fare or
leave it at a constant rate.

Three weeks ago the Energy and Minerals minister
George Simbachawene called upon both the Tanesco and Sumatra to lower prices
but to date, the latter remains reluctant. Issuing the order Minister
Simbachawene said “I will be happy to see the fares of community buses reduced
so as to enable common people to also benefit from the falling fuel prices”. Following
the Minister’s order, TANESCO announced the cut of electricity charges by 2.6
percent effective from 1st March next month for electricity consumers
in the country. But Sumatra’s Corporate Communication Manager David Mziray was
quoted by this paper onm Monday this week as saying that the decline in world
and local oil prices was too minimal to warrant a reduction in bus fares. He outlined basic factors as the transport
sector is different from other sectors because it is faced by a number of
issues that must be considered before reducing any prices. Also according to
him, Sumatra is guided by rules and regulations that stipulate ‘only when bus
operators are getting profits in excess of 25 per cent of their initial
investment can they reduce fares. The government through the Energy and Water
Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) announced the reduction of the wholesale
and retail prices of petroleum products by between 139/- and 187/- per litre. Ewura said the retail prices per litre for
petrol, diesel and kerosene have decreased by Sh. 187 (9.56 per cent) for
petrol, 139/- (7.53 per cent) for diesel, and 177/-(9.64 per cent) for kerosene
respectively. In December last year, prices per litre for petrol, diesel and
kerosene dropped by Sh. 149/- (6.83 per cent), Sh. 119/- (5.85 per cent) and Sh.
106/- (5.31 per cent) respectively. Apart from the retail price, wholesale
prices also decreased by Sh. 148.66/- (7.16 per cent) for petrol, Sh. 118.69/-
(6.16 per cent) for diesel, and Sh. 105.81/- (5.59 percent) for kerosene
respectively.

AWARD 1

I won the second prize in policy category of the African Information society Initiative ( AISI) awards 2004 which is annually organized by the United Nations- Economic Commission for Africa ( UNECA) based in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia. On the first photo above standing with other awardees after the Ceremony at the National Settlers monument in Grahamstown, South Africa.This was during the 8th Highway Africa Conference.The second photo shows the cross section of Jounalists from different African countries who attended the ceremony.

AWARD 2

I also won the AISI-GKP/SDC Media Award special reporting on WSIS process and Africa, and conferred with the award in Tunis, Tunisia during WSIS summit in 2005. See the photo above.

AWARD 3

Winner on the Media Competition on writing about " Stigma denial and Discrimination" associated with HIV/AIDS. This was organized by theAssociation of Journalists Against Aids in Tanzania ( AJAAT). On the Photo above President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of Tanzania, ( then the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation) was the guest of honour during the award giving ceremony.This was at Maelezo auditorium in Dar-es-Salaam September 2005.

AWARD 4

Winner on the Media Competition on writing about "Vulnerable Children" associated with HIV/AIDS This was organized by the Association of Journalists Against Aids in Tanzania ( AJAAT)

AWARD 5

Winner of the National ICT Media Award organized By SWOPNET in the Country. On the photo above Morogoro Regional Commissioner, Brigadier General ( Rt) Saidi Kalembo was the guest of honour during the award giving ceremony which was held at New Sarvoy Hotel in morogoro town.I was awarded a Mobile phone and a tape-recorder.

AWARD 6

I participated in the Media Competition in writing about VCT (Voluntary Counseling and Testing) in Tanzania which was held between July 15th and October 30th 2008 whereby I emerged among the top five winners. The competition was under the program known as “Tanzania bila Ukwimwi inawezekana” which literally means, Tanzania without AIDS disease transmission is possible”. This is a program which was organizedby the Association of Journalists Against AIDS in Tanzania (AJAAT) under TACAIDS funding. In the photo, I am being presented with a certificate of participation by the Chairman of the Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS) Dr. Fatma Mrisho in a colorful ceremony which was held on 22nd December 2008 at Tanzania Information Centre in Dar es Salaam.

AWARD 7

AWARD 8

AWARD 9

I was among the top 17 best selected students who excelled in their final examinations of the 2010/2011 academic year and awarded with the Vice-Chancellor’s prize. I scored 4.5 GPA (First Class) in BA in Journalism. Above I am being given a certificate by the Chairman of the Open University of Tanzania Board of Senate. Standing at the centre facing camera is the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tolly Mbwette. Extreme left partly hidden is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Elifas Bisanda. This occasion took place during the convocation meeting, a day before the graduation day at the prospective permanent headquarter of the Open University of Tanzania which is currently under construction at Bungo-Kibaha in Coast region 40 kilometers away west of Dar es Salaam city.